2008 BMW M3

M is for Magnificent: Perfection has a price, and it's probably worth it. Get in line now.

For 20 years and three generations, BMW's high-performance M3 has stood out as the ultimate of Ultimate Driving Machines, an icon on the level of the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette. Since an M car has always followed the introduction of a new 3-series, we awaited this latest M3, seen here, with nervous anticipation because the M3's big brother, the M5, although a technical triumph, had become complex to the point of creating an infuriating barrier between driver and machine. Surely, we hoped, the cold, dead hand of the engineer wouldn't be allowed to ruin BMW's crown jewel. Our fears were amplified by the excellence of the 3-series on which the M3 is based-how could they improve the performance without turning it into the automotive equivalent of the Incredible Hulk?

Our qualms were unwarranted. Although the 2008 BMW M3, which goes on sale next spring, is the absolute state of the art in engine and chassis technology, it remains the soulful driving machine that made its predecessors perennial Car and Driver10Best favorites. And although the M3's refined manners draw a closer comparison to Bruce Banner, there is still a monster lurking just beneath the surface. Under the bulging aluminum hood is a V-8 that makes 414 horsepower and spins to an astonishing 8400 rpm. Eight cylinders were necessary considering that the M3's main rivals-the Audi RS 4 and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG-both feature V-8 power, but the M3's engine is more than just a marketing ploy. The 4.0-liter, based on the 5.0-liter V-10 in the M5, is in fact 33 pounds lighter than the 3.2-liter inline-six from the previous M3. However, the entire car weighs about 250 more pounds than the last M3, and that's a consequence of the 3-series coupe, the car on which the M3 is based, getting bigger. Even so, BMW has tried hard to keep the weight down and claims 80 percent of the M3's technically relevant parts differ from the 3-series'. Many of those changes reduce the M3's heft. The roof is made of carbon fiber, as is the M6's, and it spares 11 pounds compared with steel. The cross-drilled brake discs, 14.2 inches up front and 13.8 inches out back, are bolted to aluminum hubs. The five-link rear suspension, of which four links are unique to the M3, saves six pounds. Even the trunk pass-through in the rear seat armrest has been redesigned, reducing curb weight by a further 15 pounds.

Verdict:

Model Research

*AccuPayment estimates payments under various scenarios for budgeting and informational purposes only. AccuPayment does not state credit or lease terms that are available from a creditor or lessor, and AccuPayment is not an offer or promotion of a credit or lease transaction.